Sigard Adolphus Knopf Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS C 41

Abstract

S. Adolphus Knopf was the author of over 400 books, brochures, and articles of tuberculosis, school hygiene, pneumonia, medical biography, birth control, alcoholism, and other medical and social subjects. Among the subjects dicussed in the correspondence are tuberculosis, controlled diaphragmatic respiration, birth control, cremation and burial, and psychical research.

Dates

1879-1940

Extent

5.67 Linear Feet (14 boxes)

Creator

Knopf, Sigard Adolphus, 1857-1940 (Person)

Physical Location

Materials stored onsite. History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine

Language of Materials

Collection materials primarily in English

Restrictions

Collection is not restricted. Contact the Reference Staff for information regarding access.

Copyright and Re-use Information

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Biographical Note

S. Adolphus Knopf (1857-1940) was a pioneer in the campaign for research and treatment of tuberculosis, and spent his entire career combating the disease. His landmark work Pulmonary tuberculosis: its modern prophylaxis and the treatment in special institutions and at home, was the first text book of its kind to appear in English, and won the Alvarenga Prize of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 1899. His article "Tuberculosis as a disease of the masses and how to combat it," received the International Congress Prize in 1900. Knopf received numerous other awards for his essays and articles on combating the disease. As part of his public health work, Knopf traveled the world, lecturing on preventative techniques and working to help establish sanitaria, special hospitals, dispensaries, open-air schools and anti-tuberculosis associations. In 1902, he was one of the men responsible for the movement that launched the Committee on the Prevention of Tuberculosis of the Charity Organization Society of New York City. The aim of the committee was to disseminate information that TB was a communicable, preventable, and curable disease. The Committee advanced the movement for hospitals, sanatoriums, and dispensaries for consumptive adults and children. As a result of his focus on the need for a national TB association, in 1904 a voluntary health agency was organized under the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, later renamed the National Tuberculosis Association (NTA) and now known as the American Lung Association. Knopf was the author of over 400 books, brochures, and articles of tuberculosis, school hygiene, pneumonia, medical biography, birth control, alcoholism, and other medical and social subjects.

Brief Chronology

1857 Born halle an der Saale, Germany, November 27, 1857
1888 M.D., Bellevue Hospital Medical College (New York University)
1889 Married Perle Nora Dyar (d. Dec. 24, 1931)
1890 A.B., University of Paris (Sorbonne)
1895 M.D., Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris
1898 Alvarenga Prize. College of Physicians, Philadelphia
1899 Published the essay Tuberculosis as a disease of the masses, and how to combat it for which he received International Tuberculosis Congress prize in 1900
1901 Official delegate. Tuberculosis Congress, London
1904 Advocated the formation of a national tuberculosis association; instrumental in founding of the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis
1904-10 Associate Director of the New York Municipal Tuberculosis Clinics
1904-23 Physician, Riverside Hospital-Sanatorium
1905 Official delegate. Tuberculosis Congress, Paris
1906-22 Senior Visiting Physician of the New York City Health Department
1908 Vice President. Sect. V of Tuberculosis Congress, Washington. Received prize for the essay, The relation of atmospheric air to tuberculosis
1908-20 Professor of Phthisiotherapy, New York Post-Graduate Medical School
1913 Official delegate, 4th International Congress on School Hygiene, Buffalo
1920 Tuberculosis specialist, U.S.P.H.S.
1932 Representative of the United States at the International Union against Tuberculosis, The Hague, Holland
1935 Married Julia Marie Off
1940 Died in New York, July 15, 1940

Brief Chronology

1857
: Born halle an der Saale, Germany, November 27, 1857
1888
: M.D., Bellevue Hospital Medical College (New York University)
1889
: Married Perle Nora Dyar (d. Dec. 24, 1931)
1890
: A.B., University of Paris (Sorbonne)
1895
: M.D., Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris
1898
: Alvarenga Prize. College of Physicians, Philadelphia
1899
: Published the essay Tuberculosis as a disease of the masses, and how to combat it for which he received International Tuberculosis Congress prize in 1900
1901
: Official delegate. Tuberculosis Congress, London
1904
: Advocated the formation of a national tuberculosis association; instrumental in founding of the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis
1904-10
: Associate Director of the New York Municipal Tuberculosis Clinics
1904-23
: Physician, Riverside Hospital-Sanatorium
1905
: Official delegate. Tuberculosis Congress, Paris
1906-22
: Senior Visiting Physician of the New York City Health Department
1908
: Vice President. Sect. V of Tuberculosis Congress, Washington. Received prize for the essay, The relation of atmospheric air to tuberculosis
1908-20
: Professor of Phthisiotherapy, New York Post-Graduate Medical School
1913
: Official delegate, 4th International Congress on School Hygiene, Buffalo
1920
: Tuberculosis specialist, U.S.P.H.S.
1932
: Representative of the United States at the International Union against Tuberculosis, The Hague, Holland
1935
: Married Julia Marie Off
1940
: Died in New York, July 15, 1940

Collection Summary

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence, writings by Knopf, and clippings from journals and newspapers created over the course of his entire career, beginning in medical school. The correspondence includes letters from many historical figures, including (but not limited to) Sir William Osler, Robert Koch, Margaret Sanger, Simon Flexner, Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockfeller. The tuberculosis clippings subseries in Series 6 is arranged alphabetically by author's last name. The bulk of the material is in English, although there are several pieces in other languages, mostly German and French.

The Knopf Papers may be of special interest to those researching the history of tuberculosis and treatment, the history of birth control, and cremation and burial practices. The bulk of the Bruno Heymann correspondence deals with Knopf's efforts from 1934-1935 to bring Heymann from Germany to the United States, and may be of interest to those researching displaced foreign physicians and scholars during this time period. Also of note are two instances where Knopf's authority on tuberculosis was misused. Knopf's was involved in a newspaper slander case in 1907, as well as a dispute over an endorsement of Terpezone, a tuberculosis treatment, in 1933.